SASKATOON, Sask. — Denare Beach shared the Phoenix Rising Award with Flin Flon, Man., recognizing the resilience shown by both communities following devastating wildfires in northern Saskatchewan last year.
Saskatchewan’s wildfire season began in early May, and over the next three months, an estimated 2.9 million hectares burned, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate at the height of the fires. About half of the more than 400 structures destroyed by the wildfires were in Denare Beach.
The Phoenix Rising Award was co-presented to Denare Beach and Flin Flon at the National Resilience Day Awards virtual gala on Sept. 24. The When Life Changes Everything National Resilience Initiative presents the award, founded by Dr. Allen S. Lycka to recognize Canadians who support one another and demonstrate resilience during times of adversity and hardship.
“National Resilience Day is ultimately about what Canadians do for one another when life changes unexpectedly. The awards allow us to recognize extraordinary examples of that spirit, but the larger goal remains 1,000,000 individual Acts of Resilience across Canada,” Lycka said.
Denare Beach was recognized for the strength, courage and determination demonstrated by residents following the devastation caused by the wildfires. After evacuation, loss and displacement, residents returned to face the difficult work of recovery and rebuilding.
“Through community connection, mutual support and the determination to move forward together, Denare Beach has demonstrated what resilience looks like when an entire community is asked to begin again,” the campaign said.
The community’s establishment of a Resilience Centre was cited as an example of that spirit. The centre provides residents with access to support, information and connections while helping them navigate the long road toward recovery.
The people of Denare Beach showed that resilience is not about remaining unchanged by adversity; even after profound loss, communities can stand together, rebuild and create hope for what comes next.
Flin Flon, about 30 minutes east of Denare Beach, was recognized for the remarkable strength it showed through wildfire threats, evacuations and disruption. The community embodied neighbours helping neighbours, people maintaining connection despite displacement and an entire community demonstrating determination in the face of circumstances beyond its control.
The movement includes 32 communities across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Yukon. The latest to join are Peterborough, Ont., and Corner Brook, N.L. The initiative grew out of When Life Changes Everything, created around a simple question: what happens next when illness, loss, caregiving, disaster, job disruption or another unexpected event changes the direction of a person's life? National Resilience Day turns that question into action by encouraging Canadians to help another person move forward.
Other recipients were Hollywood actor Michael J. Fox (National Resilience Icon), celebrated paralympian Rick Hansen (Legacy of Courage Award), Canadian singer Gord Downie and his band The Tragically Hip (Unshakeable Spirit), Canada’s first responders (Resilience in Service) and caregivers (Resilience in Action), and Terry Fox (Lifetime Legacy).
